When God created man he brought him on the earth and made a body in which man should live in and breathed into the man, meaning he shared his life with man. We are not supposed to be independent beings ,we must be dependent .
Every time man chooses to do what he pleases he lands into problems with the Lord. So we must understand that the primary purpose God created us is to please him. Please him how? By having fellowship with him and by serving him. If a man has not discovered this truth he will continue to live in fear.
We didn’t bring ourselves on this earth, God brought us here and that is why we breathe free oxygen and it’s important to recognise that the one who takes care of us expects something from us ,and what he expects from us is to SERVE him ,to be in PARTNERSHIP with him.
1 Corinthians 15:58, Hebrews 6:10-12.
When most people hear of labouring in the Lord they always think it applies only to a pastor or bishop. No! Every child of God has been called to labour in the Lord. Our labour in the Lord is not in vain which tells us that labour in our selves can end in vain but our labour in the Lord is not in vain because we have the back up of God. (Hebrews 6:12)
What is LABOUR?
As a noun labour is productive work ,as a verb, to labour is to strive and make an effort to reach a goal , So when we say labouring in the Lord it means we are striving to reach a goal. When we serve God with properly set goals we will be able to know that when we meet our goals we are scoring for the Lord (Phil 4:3).
WHERE DO WE LABOUR? WHAT ARE THE AREAS OF LABOUR IN THE LORD? .
1. THE WORD
We are supposed to labour in the word. Joshua 1:8. Eccl 2:21.
If I don’t labour in the word of God it will be difficult for me to serve God properly,the word of God provides the framework for laboring in the Lord. (Dt 4:4-8. 1 Tim 5:17)
How do you labour in the word of God ? Make sure you are studying the Bible and reading books on various subject matters.
2. TEACHING/ PREACHING TO BELIEVERS ( 1 thes 2:9. Colossians 1:29 .2 Corinthians 5:9).
3. PRAYERS (Colossians 4:12, Isaiah 66:7-8. Luke 18:7-8).
Prayer changes people and changes things.
4. IN SOUL WINNING AND RETENTION (Luke 10:2).
We must labour in soul winning. We must also labour in soul retention, making sure that those souls we have won to the Lord stand strong. Jn 4:38. Mt 9:37-38.
5. LIVING RIGHT (2 Corinthians 5:9, Hebrews 12:3-4& 28).
We must strive against sin so that we live right and not live carelessly. (James 1:25, 2 Timothy 2:19-21).
6. LABOURING WITH OUR HANDS (Ephesians 4:28) There’s also labour that is physical andrequires us to use our hands.
7 . IN GIVING
Giving of your time,your resources for the advancement of the kingdom of God ( Acts 20:35). When we give to the cause of the kingdom, we are labouring.
(Romans 16:6 & 12, Luke 8:3), If your money, time cannot be given to God you are not serving the Lord in that area.
8. KINGDOM SERVICE
9. HOLDING OUT IN FAITH.
We must labour in contending for the faith, and we must labour in making faith work. Faith is work. Faith is labour. (1 thes 1:3 1 Timothy 4:10)
Faith in God must be laboured for. (Rev 2:2).
BENEFITS OF LABOUR.
Does labour in the Lord have benefits ?
(Proverbs 14:23) If in all labour there’s profit ,what more labour in the Lord? there must be much more profit. (Isaiah 65:23 , Psalm 128:2, Matthew 20:8).
1. HEALTH . Divine health or Divine healing.
Because God wants you to keep labouring he will keep you healthy. When you are sick and you call on God, He will heal you. (Proverbs 13:17).
2. DIVINE PROVISION (Luke 10:35, Job 36:11, Matthew 6:33)
Prosperity comes from obeying.
3. HONOUR (2 Timothy 2:6).
4 . INCREASE IN GRACE (Proverbs 13:11, I Corinthians 15:10)
5 . REST AND SATISFACTION(1 Corinthians 3:9).
HOW DO I LABOUR PROFITABLY?
1. Make sure it is done in love (Hebrews 6:11. 1 Chronicles 29:3).
2 . Labour in righteousness
3. Labour consistently and tirelessly (Proverbs 28:20) .
4. LABOUR SACRIFICIALLY(Psalm 126:1-6).
